Who are the batsmen offering the best value?

Today we will try to figure out who are the batsmen with the lowest paisa vasool index (PVI) after match 34 of the DLF IPL.

We will look at 'low cost' and 'auctioned' batsmen separately because there is a big difference in their costs ('auctioned' players can be 8-10 times more expensive).

Recall that the most valuable player index (MVPI) is calculated by totaling the player's batting + bowling + fielding contributions and expressing this total as a run-equivalent. So the higher the MVPI, the better the player is performing.

To prepare the list of the best 'auctioned' and 'low cost' batsmen, we looked at players with the largest batting points and plotted their PVI.

Recall too that the PVI equals: amount paid so far to the player /MVPI of the player. So the lower the PVI, the better the value offered by the player.

Tables 1 and 2 provide the details.

Table 1: The IPL 'auctioned' batsmen offering the best return on investment

(After 34 matches; expressed in terms of US dollars paid so far for contributing each 'run' 

Table 2: The IPL 'low cost*' batsmen offering the best return on investment

(After 34 matches; expressed in terms of US dollars paid so far for contributing each 'run')

*Some player prices are unconfirmed, and based on the available information

It is curious that while 'low cost' medium and fast bowlers have performed almost as well as their 'auctioned' counterparts, 'low cost' batsmen have been unable to match the performance of their more successful seniors.

Finally we look at some of the 'auctioned' batsmen who have so far failed to deliver. In all fairness it must be mentioned that some of these players have a higher-than-expected PVI because they have come in later, or been frequently obliged to sit on the 'bench'.

Srinivas Bhogle, Purnendu Maji and Arthur DSilva work for Cranes Software International Limited, Bangalore.